Leopard Waste Basket - Knitting Pattern in Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran by Debbie Bliss - Downloadable PDF

Leopard Waste Basket Knitting Pattern by Debbie Bliss – Full Pattern Summary

This Leopard Waste Basket is a stylish and practical homeware knitting pattern designed by Debbie Bliss, available as a downloadable PDF. The finished piece is a structured, freestanding waste basket featuring a bold leopard print motif worked in a classic stranded colourwork technique. With its striking animal print design and professional finish, this basket makes an eye-catching addition to any room and is an excellent project for knitters looking to develop their colourwork and finishing skills.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a knitted waste basket measuring approximately 27 x 30cm (10¾ x 12in). The basket is given its rigid, upright structure through the use of an internal buckram tube and a cardboard circle base, making it a fully functional household item rather than a purely decorative piece. A cotton fabric lining is sewn and inserted to finish the interior neatly.

Techniques Used

• Worked flat: The main body of the basket is knitted flat on straight or circular needles, producing a rectangular panel that is later seamed.
• Stranded colourwork: The leopard print pattern is created using the stranded technique, in which multiple yarn colours are carried across the back of the work. This method creates the characteristic floats on the wrong side and gives the fabric extra body and warmth, which also helps the basket hold its shape.
• Seaming: Once knitted, the piece is joined along the base seam and the back seam to form the cylindrical basket shape. Neat seaming is essential to achieving a professional, structured result.
• Lining construction: A sewn cotton fabric lining is constructed separately, with a circular base piece and a rectangular side piece joined with seam allowances, then inserted into the finished knitted basket.
• Buckram and cardboard finishing: A buckram tube is rolled, overlapped, and stapled or taped to size, then combined with a cardboard circle base to create the internal structure. The knitted fabric is folded over the top edge of the buckram and stabstitched in place for a clean, firm finish.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (St st): The main fabric of the basket is worked in stocking stitch, providing a smooth, flat surface that showcases the stranded leopard print pattern clearly.
• Knit (k) and Purl (p): Standard knit and purl stitches form the foundation of the fabric.
• Kfb (knit into front and back): An increase stitch used within the pattern as required.
• M1 (make one): A lifted increase stitch also referenced in the pattern abbreviations.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is written specifically for Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran, a premium yarn that combines the softness of merino wool with excellent stitch definition — ideal for showcasing a detailed colourwork motif. Three colours are used:

• Black 1 (A): Four 50g balls — the dominant background colour.
• Camel 5 (B): Two balls — used for the main body of the leopard print spots.
• Ginger 6 (C): One ball — used for the detail and outline of the leopard markings.

The yarn is an aran weight, which gives the basket satisfying structure and a pleasingly chunky appearance without being overly bulky.

Needles and Additional Materials

• A pair of 4.50mm (US 7) knitting needles for flat knitting.
• One 4.50mm (US 7) circular needle, also used in the construction of the piece.
• A 30 x 88cm (12 x 34¾in) piece of buckram for the internal structure.
• A 27cm (10¾in) diameter circle of cardboard for the base.